Planning appeal for new lap dancing club in Bristol has been dismissed
THE planning appeal for a new lap dancing club in Old Market has been dismissed.
The club was proposed by businessman Essie Zadeh at 42-44 West Street, but was rejected by the city council's planning committee last December.
Residents in Old Market who had objected to the plan claimed "people power" had proved vital.
The empty premises would have been made into a licensed café during the day and a lap dancing club at night.
But the councillors agreed 5-2 to refuse on the grounds the plan failed to contribute to the vitality of Old Market and contribute to its regeneration.
There was an appeal against that decision, but that has now been rejected by planning inspector Jill Kingaby.
She said: "There is clearly a high level of local opposition to the current proposal for a lap dancing club.
"It seems to me that the proposal would not contribute to building a positive and attractive image introducing uses of general public interest or service to West Street as sought in saved Local Plan Policies CC1 and S6."
Labour councillor for the Lawrence Hill ward, Brenda Hugill, said: "This is a victory for common sense. We must not let this area descend in a Soho sex industry ghetto, especially now that families are moving into the area."
She added: "We must keep fighting to keep the area safe for all."
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by Rachel, Bristol
Wednesday, September 15 2010, 4:23PM
“If I'm honest then I can see why people are against these places. However, how many of you have been to a strip club, or even know any strippers. Decent strip clubs don't pose any problems, the only issue is when they're dodgy, which doesn't happen nearly as often as you think! I'm not too far off my childhood and I can't remember walking past sex shops or strip clubs ever bothering me until I was in my teens, then all it was was a kind of fascination with it and I wanted to know what happened inside these dark places. As a nation the British are known for being sexually inhibited, and I honestly don't think much has changed on the face of things. We still seem to have the view that people can do what they want, as long as it's in the privacy of their own home, but they shouldn't speak about it, or flaunt their sexuality. I see it all the time and it just makes it obvious what an outdated country we are.
If the girls who work in strip clubs are there of their own free will then what's the issue?
And I stand by the point I made in the hooters thread, only ugly women are feminists.”
by Berty, Bristol
Tuesday, September 07 2010, 9:38AM
“what no post from Katie in Cardiff?”
by Vicky Pollard, Bristol(fishpons)
Monday, September 06 2010, 10:07PM
“ere u int sposed to get like that cuz im onlee 15 and ¾”
by Anon, Posted from my iPhone
Monday, September 06 2010, 9:35PM
“oo you teez vicky. ive come over all unnessessesserry
the hodgehegg”
by Vicky Pollard, Bristol(fishpons)
Monday, September 06 2010, 9:31PM
“mr hedgeshog sorry i took so long to reeply i bin tryin to get the buttons done up on my pleece jacket i looks well phat.. the trousers dunt look 2 bad gud job they elasticated waste
i got dyslexia but dyslexia aint got me”
by Lola, Bristol
Monday, September 06 2010, 8:47PM
“PS - Why I say you 'all' seem to be missing the point, obviously that's a clear-thinking few people out there, so I don't want to tarnish you all with the same brush. Apologies for confusion.”
by Lola, Bristol
Monday, September 06 2010, 8:44PM
“The point you all seem to be missing is that if the council permits another lap dancing club, then the area is never going to recover and become the kind of place people want to invest in, bring new honest business to, or bring their families. So if another lap dancing club - or similar type of establishment (be it a sex shop, gay sauna, whatever) - opens up in Old Market, that's forever going to be a seedy, run down part of Bristol that no one (apart from a certain few) want to go to.”
by Anon, Posted from my iPhone
Monday, September 06 2010, 8:27PM
“A gay sauna is fine, but a lap dancing club would tend to encourage heterosexuality, which is clearly a Bad Thing.
The Hedgehog”
by Brian, Bristol
Monday, September 06 2010, 8:16PM
“Bit weird considering there used to be one there anyway. Now all you've got is a sex shop, a 'massage parlour', a gay underwear shop, a sauna where men go for sex with each other, clubs with drug problems, a shop selling 'equipment' for pot smokers, drag queens, lunchtime alcoholics, and taxi drivers trying to run people over. Result. Bring the whole family.”
by geoff, bristol
Monday, September 06 2010, 6:00PM
“why ban a lap dancing club in old market their is allready many in the same area.what will one more do too that area”